Cavs' interest in Anderson could lead Love to Celtics

Cavs' interest in Anderson could lead Love to Celtics

SALT LAKE CITY – Cleveland’s growing interest in New Orleans’ Ryan Anderson bodes well in Boston’s seemingly never-ending quest to acquire Kevin Love in what's shaping up to be a potential three-team deal that would include the Boston Celtics.

The particulars of the deal are still in the discussion phase, but the end result if it comes to pass would send Love to Boston, according to a league source.

The deal is still "very fragile" at this point, but it does provide Boston the best shot it has had in landing a player the Celtics have coveted for some time now.

Boston has spent a significant amount of time in recent weeks trying to convince the Cavs to part ways with Love, only to be rebuffed.

The Celtics have pursued bringing a third team into the mix as a way of sweetening the deal to Cleveland's liking.

New Orleans would make for an ideal partner considering Anderson becomes a free agent this summer and the Pelicans aren't expected to pay Anderson the kind of money his status on the free agent market would warrant.

And when you look at his skills in terms of stretching the floor and scoring around the basket, he in many ways provides similar talent (but not as good a rebounder) to Love.

There are still a number of hurdles that need to be overcome before a deal of this magnitude is complete.

But the current stage of discussions is further proof that Danny Ainge, Boston’s president of basketball operations, is focused on delivering a superstar to this roster sooner rather than later.

And at this point, Love presents the best chance Boston has had in recent years of achieving that goal.

Paul Pierce says if Celtics learn to sacrifice, they'll win title

Paul Pierce says if Celtics learn to sacrifice, they'll win title

If there's anyone who knows what it takes to be a champion, it's Paul Pierce. So when the Celtics legend speaks, it would be best for the current team's young stars to heed his words.

According to a report from Boston.com, Pierce touched on what this current squad needs to learn if they want to hang the team's eighteenth championship banner from the rafters of TD Garden.

"When you have that type of talent, they're going to have to learn to sacrifice," Pierce said at a charity event in Brookline on Friday morning. "Not everybody is going to be able to accomplish maybe the individual goals they want to accomplish, but the team's greater goal should be all that matters."

The Celtics, who have made the Eastern Conference Finals the past two seasons but were vanquished both times by LeBron James' Cavaliers, saw perhaps their greatest obstacle in competing for a championship disappear when James signed with the Lakers in free agency. With one of the most talented rosters in the NBA, Boston has built a team capable of getting over the hump and winning a title.

"You have to sacrifice if you are truly committed to winning a championship," Pierce added. "They're going to win a lot of games, but unless they sacrifice--because we know they're going to be better than probably what their numbers show--if they can sacrifice they'll win a championship this year. Because the talent is definitely there."

If there is one player on the current roster who can show that championship mentality to young stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, it's Kyrie Irving. However, much of the talk surrounding Irving, who won a championship with the Cavaliers in 2016, this offseason has been about him potentially leaving Boston after the season in free agency.

"Kyrie is a competitor," Pierce said. "He's won a championship. He knows -- if they win again he'll get whatever contract he wants. He's an extraordinary talent and he knows that winning trumps everything. If you win, everybody wins."

The Celtics start their quest for their eighteenth title on October 16 when they host Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.